Putin's February 24 Justification Speech for His War on Ukraine - Commentary

Abstract

The article takes the speech delivered by Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 24, 2022, to justify the invasion of Ukraine he ordered at the same time, and shows not only the motives of his actions, but also the specific patterns of argumentation he uses to try to prove the legitimacy of the war against the ›brother nation‹, especially to his domestic audience. In keeping with the monstrous occasion, he uses all the rhetorical devices of the demagogic speech, which culminates in announcing a »special military operation« for the »demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine« by invoking Russian history and »justice and truth.«